System of a Down Year

The dawn of every season not only means that anybody can win, but once the season gets underway, the best players in their game are a lock to outperform the competition. However, that is not always the case in the wild, wacky, fifth dimension world of sports. Sometimes there are players that rise from the 'player-to-be-named-later' pile and produce good numbers for their ball club. Other times the preseason predictions made by every magazine, sports talk show, and blog writer pan out without any interesting mix ups. But every year, there seems to be some players that either sign big contracts with new teams, or come off of off-season injuries and fail to produce as expected. This year the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins all have big named players who have star players that are playing more like little dippers than big dippers. 

Let's lead off this list with the south side of Chicago's big free agent signing this past offseason, Adam Dunn.

When the White Sox presented the Big Donkey with a four year/$56 Million dollar contract, general manager Kenny Williams expected what Dunn had provided for the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Washington Nationals; a big left handed bat to provide offense to a club that desperately needed it. Dunn may have struck out more often than people have gone on Facebook in the last half decade, but he consistently hit 40 homers and drove in 100 runs for the better part of six years. Unfortunately for the south siders, the big donkey has lacked his kick. This season, Dunn's abysmal .163 batting average with the White Sox is 83 points lower than his career total of .246. The big donkey is also 29 home runs behind his career average of 38 a season and is 61 runs batted in behind his average pace of 97 RBIs per year. Dunn could be putting too much pressure on himself because of the new contract, or maybe the 31 year old slugger is over the hill. But even with Dunn floundering, the White Sox can still win the AL Central. If this is to happen, Dunn needs to hit.

Since the hits just keep on coming in baseball, the focus shifts out west to one of the most consistent hitters of our generation, Ichiro Suzuki 

The Seattle Mariners may be cellar dwellers in the AL Central, but the Mariners are able to wind up Ichiro every year and watch him get 200 hits. But this year, Ichiro has not been what we thought he is. The Mariners star currently has 109 hits and is on pace to finish with 167 for the season. Ichiro has NEVER finished a season with fewer than 200 hits in his entire ten year career with the Mariners; that streak of 200 hits every year for ten years is the longest such streak in Major League history. Also Ichiro's batting average has fallen to .267 during the 2011 campaign. That is 60 points below his career average of .327. But despite the down numbers, Ichiro's down year stems from bad luck. Balls that Ichiro would be able to slap through the opposite field gap are simply not finding the holes they usually do. The only difference between Ichiro and other hitters who are struggling is the fact that this is Ichiro's first bad year in his career. Ichiro is still the toughest out in baseball, but even he is human. And humans in sports can sometimes have bad years.

Speaking of bad years, it is time to look at the ace of the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants; Tim Lincecum

The San Francisco Giants won the World Series last year with a paper mache offense and the best pitching in baseball. This season the offense has been equally as bad as last year, but every pitcher except Lincecum has been great again this year. Today, the two time Cy Young award winner is 8-8 with a 2.90 Earned run average and 146 strikeouts. Put these numbers all together and you have a very good line at the half way point of the season. Yet most of these numbers, such as wins and strikeouts, are short of the freak's usual performances. Lincecum's issue is that he has yet to be consistently dominant this season. One start the Lincecum will be the freak for six or seven innings to get the win, and then turn right around and pitch dreadfully in his next start. The San Francisco Giants are contenders to win the world series with the surplus of pitching that they have, but in order to topple the Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers, and even the Braves, Tim Lincecum has to recapture the swagger that has made him dominant.

And since pitchers and catchers have such an important bond in baseball, the focus is redirected to Twins catcher Joe Mauer.

Baseball's talent pool for catchers may be about as deep as a puddle, but for the last four years, Joe Mauer has been one of the best backstops in the game. Mauer has torn up opposing pitchers during the course of his career, hitting .326 with  15 homers and 90 runs batted in on a yearly basis. However, the injury bug bit Joe Mauer in the form of bilateral leg weakness. And while the strength in Mauer's legs have dropped, so have his numbers. This season Mauer is hitting .295 with no homers and 15 runs batted in. There is nothing wrong with a .295 batting average, but the number three hitter in a team's lineup having zero homers and only 15 runs batted in is pathetic. Plus, Mauer being hurt has really altered the way that Twins pitchers pitch, for the Twins pitchers are used to Mauer calling the game. Perhaps putting Mauer at first base or Designated hitter will prolong his career, however making that transition will likely not help Mauer in 2011.

From guys who have been hurt to guys who are simply having a bad year, struggling during points in a career is simply part of the game. And everyone that has been mentioned is a good enough player to turn this season around, despite the adversities they all face.

Wish upon some Stars

If you were to turn on the news, you would see and hear stories of robbery, murder, extortion, corruption, and something dumb that some politician said. All of these aspects of the real world are the negative aspects that fills our world and makes the 24 hour media cycle go like the energizer bunny. And the world of sports has similar moments. In between the highlights of games there is analysis of scandal, athletes' finances, and the judgement of players dirty laundry when it is held up under the media microscope. But for one week, one very special week in the middle of July every year, Sportscenter goes out of its way to present a delightful change of pace from the regular media routine. The stories that are presented to the public do portray struggle, but these stories show that for one moment in time, athletes can impact people in such a positive way.

These stories are from Sportscenter's 'My Wish' series, and these are some of the coolest stories in sports.

 Children with life altering illnesses that range from leukemia, blood disorders, testicular cancer, and dilated cardiomopathy share their stories with the world. The tales portray the lives of these children before they are struck with crippling sicknesses. How hours, days, even years in hospitals change these young children filled with energy, suddenly evaporates from their bodies due to the diseases. And finally when these kids get out of the hospitals, the energy that fueled them has been drained away. 

But the other side of a story that can be seen in a 'My Wish' story is the athlete's role in the life of the ill child. How characteristics like Tim Tebow's toughness, Bethany Hamilton's courage, and every athlete's kindness to take the time out of their busy lives to make these young children feel special. 

But the side of the 'My Wish' stories that do not get played up nearly as much is the effect that these encounters have on the athletes and the audiences. For the players who dedicated their time to helping these kids, a life long personal bond can be formed, while sometimes the athletes discover a deeper impact that their on field performances have on all of their fans. For those of us who have never heard of these kids, for seven short minutes, we receive an uplifting outlook on how athletes can use their influence on a positive way. How not all athletes are self centered individuals who would rather take a bashing from their town's media than interact with their fans. And why the world of sports can provide a safe sanctuary in which everyone no matter what the size, shape, or race of one person can enjoy. 

The Overrated and Unappreciated

Athletes come in all different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities, but all athletes can be boiled down to a few types of players. There are the nice players; or the ones who contribute positively to their team's success. Yet despite all their positive contributions, they get overshadowed buy athletes with bigger names and usually much larger salaries. Managers would take a couple of these guys over some of the big named guys who are under appreciated. On the other side of the spectrum, there are the bad players. These athletes are usually over payed and under productive, have the wrong mindset to be at a professional level, or they have some kind of untapped potential that they should reach, but cannot. Today is a time to reflect on the five surprisingly good and five horribly bad that major league baseball has to offer.

Coming in at Number 5  for the most overrated players in Baseball: Matt Kemp Los Angeles Dodgers

LA is known for Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the sports franchises that blanket the city. But Matt Kemp is a typical example of a player who gets too much attention because he plays for an LA team. Before this year, Kemp's career averages look something like this: .286 batting average, 17 home runs, and 66 runs batted in. The batting average is respectable, but the home runs are pedestrian and the runs batted in are nothing special. Despite this, most of the talking heads are considering him an MVP candidate for the national league. Last time I checked, the Dodgers were eleven games under .500 and 12.5 games back of the San Francisco Giants for first place in their division. The Dodgers chances to make the playoffs this year is extremely small and his numbers are not as jaw dropping as  Alex Rodriguez's were when he was with the Texas Rangers once upon a time. Kemp is having a very good year, let us see if he can keep this up for multiple seasons in a row.

The number 5 most underrated players in Baseball today: Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays don't have many house hold names, but one on the rise is Ben Zobrist. Early in his career, Zobrist did not play a whole lot and did not stick in one particular position. But when the Tampa Bay Rays went to the World Series in 2008, the production they got from Zobrist was a big reason why. Zobrist has only been a regular in the Rays lineup for two years, but during that two year stretch Zobrist has a .268 average with 19 homers and 83 runs batted in. Unlike Kemp the batting average is lower than it should be, but the homers are solid and 80 or more runs batted in are what a typical number five hitter should be producing for his team. But Zobrist does not hit fifth for the Rays, for he hits second due to his ability to drive runs in. 83 runs batted in from the number 2 hitter in a lineup? Pretty solid if you as me.

Back to the bad. The number 4 most overrated player in baseball: Nick Swisher of the New York Yankees

Nick Swisher has been regarded as one of the nicest players in the game of baseball and his presence does boost team chemistry. But in terms of his production, Swisher has not been nearly as good as the media likes to make them seem. Swisher does have good home runs and run batted in numbers in his career, but he has only once hit above .280 in his career. In fact, Swisher has only hit above .260 twice in eight seasons. The strikeouts for swisher have been piling up as well. The Yankees right fielder has a season average of 115 strikeouts per year. And every year in his career, except for two, swisher has had more strikeouts in a season than he had hits. Swisher is a solid player who is good for team chemisrty, but all of the hype Swisher has gotten as a stud on the Yankees is misplaced.

Number 4 most underrated player in MLB: Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals

For those who would have ever seen Ryan Zimmerman play, he would be regarded as one of the five best third baseman in baseball. For the majority of the casual fans who have not heard of Zimmerman, it is because he has been on one of the worst teams in baseball over the course of his career. Still,  Zimmerman's numbers have been some of the better ones offensively. Invader Zim has a .287 batting average with 23 dingers, 89 runs batted in and two career silver slugger awards. Zimmerman has been sound on the defensive side of the field as well, for the Nationals third baseman won a gold glove in 2009. But alas, as long as the Washington Nationals remain in mediocrity, Zimmerman's very good play will continue to go unnoticed.

Batting 3rd for team Overrated: Yadier Molina of the Saint Louis Cardinals.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this photograph accurately describes Yadier's offensive capabilities as a whole. The youngest Molina brother is easily the worst out of the three with a bat in his hands; and he has been one of the most inept offensive catchers in the league. In Molina's best year offensively his numbers were .304 with Seven home runs and 56 runs batted in. If Molina did not win three gold gloves as a catcher, he would be riding a minor league bus somewhere until he learned how to hit. Yet despite his offensive flaws, Molina has been voted to the last three all star games. He consistently beats out guys like the Cubs Giovanni Soto, Giants backstop Buster Posey, and Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz in the fan vote because Baseball Tonight plays the most popular game on ESPN called 'Name that Molina'. If he were not related to Bengie and Jose, Molina would just be regarded as a slow catcher who cannot hit.

Number 3 most underrated player: Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies second baseman in baseball has not received much appreciation from the city of brotherly love, or from many others for that matter. Chase Utley has been the best second baseman in baseball for the latter half of the 2000-2010 decade, period the end. Utley's numbers are star worthy to say the least. A .292 batting average with 28 home runs and 103 runs batted in over the course of his career has been proof of how good he really is. Add one world series ring into his trophy case and you have a radiant superstar right? Nope. Utley's name has frequently overshadowed by names such as Dustin Pedroia and Robinson Cano in recent years. Pedroia won an MVP in 2008 with a .326 average 17 homers and 83 RBI's. In the same year, other than batting average, Utley's numbers were way better than Pedroia (33 homers 104 RBIs). And Cano has only had one year, last year, when his numbers were better than Utley's. Cano may pass Utley in terms of skill one day, but that time has not come yet. So Utley can continue to be quietly dominant.

Number 2 most overrated player: Hunter Pence Houston Astros.

The Houston Astros are the worst team in baseball by far, and part of this reason is because they rely on fake stars such as Hunter Pence. Pence doesn't hustle, doesn't play any form of defense, and strikes out a great deal. Pence has only struck out less than 100 times once in 2007, and he got punched out 95 times in the 07 season. Yet somehow, Pence has been an all star twice in his career. The reason for this is because every team is required to send a representative to the All Star game, but that is a separate issue. The only thing that keeps Pence is a relevant player in the fact that he has been solid offensively for his career. Pence's career line is .292 with 25 homers and 91 Runs batted in. But those numbers can be accurately described as a career year for a team's number 7 hitter, Pence hits 3rd for the Astros with the productivity of a number 7 hitter. The Astros stink and Pence is an awful of anti-perspirant.

Coming in at number 2 for team underrated: Michael Young of the Texas Rangers.

 Michael Young has been a Texas Ranger for 12 years, and at times during those years, the Rangers have appreciated Young as less as the casual fan does. But offensively Young has been one of the best players that nobody is talking about . Michael Young has kept the hits on coming, for he has averaged 199 hits per season over the course of his career. Couple those awesome hit totals with a .301 career batting average, 17 homers and 88 runs batted in on a yearly basis, you have a house hold name right? Try again Texas. Throughout the course of his career, Young has been overshadowed by superstar steroid users such as Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez, and Alex Rodriguez. And when the time came for young to step into the spotlight, management had him change positions about as much as a regular people changer their socks. And not once has Young complained about being tossed from position to position like a hot potato. His numbers have only been overshadowed by his character, either way he deserves more stardom than he gets.

Now for the big ones, the most overrated and underrated players in the game of baseball.

The number 1 most overrated player in baseball: Jayson Werth of the Washington Nationals

Jayson Werth was signed in the off season by the Washington Nationals to a contract that will pay him 126 million dollars over the course of seven years. And his numbers have not been able to generate anywhere near that kind of money. Werth has a mediocre career line, for his average is .265 with 24 home runs and 82 runs batted in. Plus Werth's strikeout totals have gone up every time he has had a career year. Look at his best year in 2009. Yes Werth hit 36 homers and drove in 99 RBI's, but he also punched out 156 times. Those numbers simply do not justify the kind of contract that the Nationals gave him. It's normal for big market teams such as the Yankees and Red Sox to overpay for bad players, but when a team such as inept as the Nationals are willing to spend so much money on a player who was supposed to turn around their team.

And now the final piece of bread on this Baseball player sandwich

Number 1 most underrated player in the game: Brian McCann of the Atlanta Braves

Where to begin with the Braves catcher? For starters Brian McCann has been elected to six all star teams and has won four silver sluggers during his seven year career. McCann's career line has been outstanding: the Brave's backstop has a .291 batting average with 25 homers and 101 runs batted in over the course of his career. So with all of these accolades and awards, how is a guy like A.J Pierzynski more well known across the majors than the best catcher in baseball? The simple answer is the fact that the Braves have not made the playoffs since 2005, the same year Pierzynski's White Sox won their first World Series in 87 years. With a tough division year in and year out, the fighting Ted Turners have not always been able to surround their players with the most talent. But Brian McCann has been a great find for the Braves, and seems to be well on his way to another great year this year.

There are all different kinds of players, but the most fun to talk about are the guys who do not get enough credit for what goes right, and who didn't play well enough when everything goes wrong.

Rockets Missfire

The 1998 baseball season Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa had the great home run chase that recaptured the hearts of baseball fans across the country. And as the new millennium came to pass, home runs shot off of players' bats like lava out of volcanoes. Unfortunately for the fans of the game, these home runs resulted from players taking illegal substances in order to hit more pitches out of the park and make more money. But all of those who hoped their favorite players cheating was just some sick dream could not look away from the report that senator George Mitchel sent commissioner Bud Selig in 2007. Within the pages of the report, the names of sluggers, power pitchers, and bench guys who were all trying to make the team, were found to have used some form of performance enhancing drug. On that list was one player, the most defiant of all who testified before Congress, decided to approach his accusers the only way he knew how; head on without fear of consequences. This man's name is Roger Clemens, and today, his perjury case was deemed a mistrial.

According to reports, the trial was called off because the prosecution had presented evidence that was previously ruled out of the case; videotaped testimonies of teammate telling Clemens' wife that Clemens confessed to using a performance enhancing drug. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton deemed the evidence to be too prejudicial and that such evidence would not enable a fair trial. And although Walton scheduled a hearing on September 2nd to determine the possibility of a new hearing, he could declare double jeopardy and stop the case completely. Under double jeopardy, Clemens could not be tried for perjury again, and the rocket could away from his alleged crimes unpunished. 

Clemens may have been able to blow people away on the mound, but his performance in court had been the equivalent of a junk ball pitcher that got every break imaginable. Clemens was called to the stand in 2008, and said to congress that he never knowingly took performance enhancing drugs. When evidence that his teammate, Andy Pettitte, had recalled a conversation with Clemens in which Clemens directly told Pettitte he took human growth hormone, the rocket had said Pettitte 'misremembered' their conversation. But Pettitte's testimony was barred from the trial. And yesterday, there was evidence presented to the court that Clemens had needles and cotton balls with the star pitcher's DNA and steroids on them. Clemens' lawyers even said that the DNA on the needles and cotton balls was from Clemens. This case should have been a slam dunk for the prosecution, but instead, they got reckless  and now Clemens is virtually off the hook.

Clemens may have a mistrial in a court of law, but he, like every other steroid user, has been found guilty in the court of public opinion. Sports writers who are voting on which players get into the hall of fame have taken a hard stance against former players found guilty of steroid use. Take Mark McGwire for example. Big mac denied that he took steroids, and got caught in his lie. Not even a blubbering admittance of his wrongdoing on ESPN has aided McGwire in his hall of fame bid; for the percentage of writers who voted McGwire in the hall has dropped each year big mac has been on the ballot. But unfortunately for the people's court, the memories created by Clemens on the field will be forever tainted by the steroid era stigma; and the jilted feeling all of the fans have gotten from cheating players will not fade.

For the Next Ten Minutes, I can see into the Future

This baseball season has been full of triumph, tragedy, disappointment and surprising greatness from players we don't expect to see it from. But the best aspect of this particular season so far has been the amount of parody in baseball this year. No team has been able to run away with their division, for teams like the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies have been dominant for only parts of the season. Also, the largest divide between 1st and 2nd in any division is the Phillies over the Atlanta Braves in the NL East with a three and a half game advantage. This trend will continue as the pennant race begins to heat up because every one of the division leaders have some potentially crippling weaknesses. For the Phillies and San Francisco Giants their offences have been disappointing and almost non existent respectively. While the Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Saint Louis Cardinals/Milwaukee Brewers have had their share of pitching problems. But there are still 82 games left for every team to play, here are some of the things that have a very good chance of happening.

Prediction number 1: New York Mets Shortstop Jose Reyes will come back to earth after his great first half of the season.

In the last year of his contract, Mets Shortstop Jose Reyes has finally played to his potential; which has lead to staggering numbers. Reyes has 124 hits, 15 triples, 30 stolen bases, and a career high .354 batting average in the first half of the 2011 campaign. But as it often does,the injury bug has bitten the young shortstop. Reyes has gone down with an hamstring injury that has landed him on the 15 day disabled list. And every one of Jose Reyes' numbers that have vaulted him into the MVP conversation are mostly in part of his great speed; especially his two trademark statistics, triples and stolen bases. But the reason the injury will derail his numbers is because it will alter his mind set. In a contract year, Reyes will have to prove to potential suitors that he can stay healthy for long periods of time. And as a result, Reyes will be more cautious and the triples, steals, and infield hits will all drop as a result. Somebody is going to overpay the Mets shortstop in free agency, but the second half of 2011 for Jose Reyes will be pedestrian instead of great.


Prediction Number 2: San Diego Padres Closer Heath Bell will help his new team win a division crown.

As usual, the San Diego Padres are at the bottom of the National League West, but the games the Padres do win are usually because of their closer, Heath Bell. Bell has been one of the best closers over the last three years, recording a total of 115 saves in a two and a half year span; with 26 already in 2011. But the Padres still stink, and many of their veterans are aging like milk. So while they can, San Diego should trade Bell to a contender and get some good young talent into their farm system to give the fans something to look forward too. Most teams could use a guy like Bell at the end of games, but the teams who can and should make a run at him are the Phillies, Rangers, Brewers, Cardinals, and LA Angles. The Padres asking price will be high, because Bell is their best player, but a team with a great farm system like Texas would be able to offer up some of the prospects San Diego would ask for. The chances Bell moves are likely only 65%, but the team that gets him will have a 100% chance of getting better right away.

Prediction number 3: Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Kenerko will win the AL MVP.

Paul Kenerko has always been good, but in 2011 the veteran has stepped his game. Kenerko has a .319 batting average with 22 home runs and 67 runs batted for a White Sox team that is just five games out of first place in a division that nobody wants to win. The 35 year old slugger has done more offensively with less protection around him as opposed to an Adrian Gonzalez of the Red Sox or a Mark Teixeira of the Yankees. The White Sox cornerman has more homers than Gonzalez and more runs batted in than Teixeira. Plus, the Yankees have played a very home friendly first half of their season, so not hitting in the New York bandbox will bring Teixeira's home run numbers down far enough for Kenerko to pass him. As for Gonzalez's RBI total, it will break 110, but if Dustin Pedroia continues on his home run pace, there will be fewer guys on base for Gonzalez to drive in. The bottom line is this, there are other players not on the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox who deserve recognition, and Kenerko will bring accolades to the south side of Chicago.

Prediction number 4: The Pittsburgh Pirates will finish over .500 for the first time in 18 years

Yes, you heard me correctly baseball world. The Pittsburgh Pirates have not quite gotten up to the level of their football or hockey counterparts, but fans are jolly as rogers that the Pirates are playing like they did in 1993 as opposed to 2003. The swashbuckling Pirates are 47-43 and just one game out of first place in the National League Central at the half way point in the season. They keys to the Pirates recent success has come mostly from their pitching. The Pirates have the eighth best earned run average at 3.44 runs per game allowed in the majors, while also ranking sixth in the league in saves. Offensively, the Pirates still have a long way to go, but they are 13th in runs scored away PNC park. Led by all-star center fielder Andrew Mccutchen hitting .291 with 14 homers and 54 runs batted in, the Pirates are 12th in the league at scoring with runners in scoring position. So there is hope in the Burgh. Because of their youth and offense, the Pirates are not yet ready for October, but they are heading in the right direction and have enough pitching to win 83 games this year.

Prediction number 5: Neither the Red Sox nor the Phillies will win the World Series.

Although these two teams have been the best teams in baseball over the course of the first half, both were favored to win it all last year too. And neither of them made it to the World Series in 2010. Yes the Phillies have the best rotation in baseball, but their bullpen has been shaky and their offense has been disappointing. In a lineup with slugger Ryan Howard, the best second baseman in baseball in Chase Utley, and shortstop Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies have to be better than 14th in the league offensively. The Red Sox have just the opposite problem. Their offense has been knocking the cover off the ball, but their pitchers are dropping like flies. Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Diasuke Matsuzaka are all on the disabled list while their big free agent signing, John Lackey, has been atrocious. So who is going to be in the fall classic if these two teams are not you ask? I'm feeling the Texas Rangers out of the AL and either the San Francisco Giants or Atlanta Braves out of the NL because these three teams have the best combinations of pitching and hitting.

Now I am no Nostradamus, but when it comes to sports predictions I am certainly no Harold Camping. So the only thing to do now is kick back, enjoy the All Star break, and we shall see the future unfold starting Thursday.

Oh Captain the Captain

Love them passionately or hate them viciously, the New York Yankees have been one of the hallmark franchises in all of professional sports. This storied franchise seemed to have it all. Legendary sluggers such as Babe Ruth, dominant pitchers such as Whitey Ford, and numerous great players that come along once in a generation. But through all that greatness and all of the tradition that seems to have climbed to the heights of the tallest New York city skyscraper, they had never had a single player who had accumulated 3,000 hits. However, all that changed earlier today when shortstop Derek Jeter achieved the milestone by taking David Price deep in the 3rd inning of the Yankees 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. And 3,000 hits may be a first class ticket to the hall of fame, but what is truly great about  Jeter is the way he carries himself on the diamond. No matter what the situation, he handles it with class and takes everything in stride.

Between the flashing of the cameras, the roar of the crowd, and the electric stuff that Price was bringing would have shattered the will of a lesser man; but all of this was just another typical at bat for New York Yankees captain.  And as everything he seems to do, Jeter handled the pressure and praise of getting the biggest hit of his life with the excellence that we have all come to expect. The Yankee captain went five for five with two runs batted in and became the second player in baseball history to record his 3,000th hit on a home run. Oh, and he drove in the game winning run with his fifth hit and second run batted in during the bottom of the eighth inning. This individual milestone is just another accomplishment on his list that makes him a hall of fame player.

Throughout his 17 seasons in pinstripes, Jeter has a .312 batting average, 236 home runs, 1157 runs batted in and a total of seven 200 hit seasons. In addition to his regular season averages, the captain is a 12 time all star, five time gold glove winner, and a four time silver slugger. Very productive numbers, but where the captain has thrived over the course of his career has been in October; where the games matter most. Jeter's career postseason numbers consist of a .309 batting average, with 20 home runs and 57 runs batted in in 30 postseason series. And the productivity in the playoffs have resulted in five world series rings sitting in Jeter's trophy case. The most special of these playoff accomplishments has been is 2000 world series Most Valuable Player award. And we all know the greatest players show up in the biggest moments, Jeter has done that with a vengeance.

Now with a hall of fame resume wrapped up with a bow on top, the next question is where does number 2 rank on the list of all time Yankee greats? The short answer is in the top 10 without question. Jeter is the only Yankee with 3,000 hits and is a proven winner. The long answer, I'd put him as the 7th best Yankee behind Ruth, Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Mariano Rivera, and Whitey Ford. Yes Jeter has more hits than any of the other members on this list, but Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle all have far superior offensive numbers compared to Jeter. As for the two pitchers on the list, Rivera is the best closer ever with just as many rings as Jeter; and Whitey Ford is regarded as the best starter in Yankee history for he has the most wins as a Yankee starter (236) and most strikeouts as a Yankee (1,956). Putting the captain 7th on the list is no slight to him, for this list is comprised of elite company that few players can ever hope to measure up to.

With every generation of baseball fans, there seems to be a different Yankee that captures the hearts of New York through great play. My generation has been lucky enough to see two of them grow up along with us, and one of them is Derek Jeter.

Buzzer Beaters

Novak Djokovic was recently named the number one ranked men's tennis player in the world, and earlier today he showed us why. Djokovic beat defending Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 earlier this afternoon to win his first Wimbledon trophy and third career major. The 24 year old Serbian was on top of his game when it mattered most. Djokovic had 22 winners, four unforced errors, and never faced a break point through the first two sets of the match. However, the resilient Nadal would not go down without a fight, for the match was taken to a fourth set. But in the end, too much Djokovic and some mistakes by Nadal gave the world's new number one his 48th win of the season. And now that Novak Djokovic has won Wimbledon and the Australian Open, the next test for tennis' next big thing will come August 29th at the U.S. Open.

Staying with Wimbledon, another upset shook the All English Club on Sunday. Petra Kivitova defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4 to clinch her first tennis major. The 21 year old Kivitova was the youngest player to win at Wimbledon since, her opponent, Maria Sharapova won at Wimbledon when she was 17 in 2004. Kivitova had the upper hand from the first serve, for the young southpaw compiled 19 winners over the course of the match. Also, Sharapova's sloppy play aided Kivitova's quest for the All English Trophy. Sharapova had a total of six double faults during the course of the match, which was almost half of her total of 13 double faults for the tournament. Another fun fact about Petra Kivitova is that she is the first left handed female since Martina Navratilova to win a major on a grass surface. Kivitova also plans to take her victory to New York and participate in the U.S. Open on August 29th.


Shifting over to the diamond now, the starters for Major League Baseball's All-Star teams have been selected by us, the fans. For the American League, the Yankees and Red Sox own the infield; for Yankees send Third Baseman Alex Rodriguez, Shortstop Derek Jeter, and second baseman Robinson Cano to the mid summer classic, while the BoSox send their first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and DH David Ortiz. The outfield is surrounded by some unfamiliar faces this time around for the AL. Yes Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers is in left, but Yankee Centerfeilder Curtis Granderson and leading vote getter Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays deffer from the AL's usual outfeild of Ichiro, Torri Hunter, and a player to be named later. But what is truly surprising is that the AL will have Detroit Tigers will have catcher Alex Avila. Avila has come out of nowhere with, sporting a .298 average with 10 home runs and 46 runs batted in. Not stellar numbers, but with Joe Mauer hurt most of the year, and the rest of the AL lacking behind the backstop, Avila is the best choice.


For the National League All Stars, there is an almost entirely new cast of characters playing the role of All Star Starters. Yes Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann is an anchor at his position, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun has made several All Star games before, and Mets Shortstop Jose Reyes is playing great in a contract year, the rest of the lineup is surprising. For one thing, the right side of the infield is occupied by Brewers Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks instead of All Star regulars Cardinals first Baseman Albert Pujols and Phillies second baseman Chase Utley. Although the play of Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco has been consistent as always, nobody could have predicted the great seasons Dodger outfielder Matt Kemp or Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman have been having. The Starting pitchers have not been chosen for either side yet and the 34th man for each team can still be voted in by us the fans at MLB.com to give somebody something to do during the All Star Break.

Speaking of the All Star break, baseball will have their annual Home Run Derby on July 11th. The Home Run Derby has been nothing but trouble for players since its maiden voyage during the 1985 All Star Break. The simplified format of the original Derby of one round and five players to a team has been dreadfully elongated due to it's prime time status on ESPN. Also, the Derby is not nearly as exciting to watch anymore because hitters in today's game are hitting far fewer home runs than during the 90s and the early part of the decade. The downswing in the long ball is due to a combination of better pitching today and a dramatic decrease in steroid use. All of these negative factors come without mentioning the damage the Derby can do to a player's swing. Look at Bobby Abreu of the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim. Before the 2005 Derby, he averaged .303, 21 homers, and 95 RBIs. After his record breaking night? .286 average with a lowly 13 homers, and 65 RBIs a year. Bottom line, the Home Run Derby stinks and we would all be better off without it.